Old TN netas set gold standards in politics

Leaders
'Traffic' Ramaswamy, 83 in action on the roads of Chennai.
‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy, 83 in action on the roads of Chennai.

Chennai :

Age for them is a number, not a limitation. At 80 and 90, these Tamil Nadu politicians, bent on going the extra mile, defy ailments, confinement to wheelchairs and take to the streets campaigning vigorously against corruption and on other national issues.

Meet “Traffic” Ramaswamy . He’s 82 and going after illegal hoardings. Congress veteran Kumari Ananthan is a year senior and on a Madurai-Tuticorin walkathon demanding prohibition. CPI’s R Nallakannu has touched 90, but there’s nothing stopping him from protesting against illegal sand mining.

Of course, nothing can hold back DMK chief, 91-year-old M Karunanidhi. He’s leading a protest in south Chennai against the “anti-poor, anti-farmer” land acquisition bill.Guess who’s leading the stir in north Chennai? It’s party general secretary K Anbazhagan, 92.

A respected PIL petitioner; Ramaswamy is respected for being re lentless. All things illegal make him see red: Illegal hoardings, illegal buildings, encroachments, traffic violations, politicians and bureaucrats violating laws. He was in prison till Tuesday . When he was freed, he immediately went ripping illegal hoardings.On Thursday the fearless activist struck at the AIADMK headquarters.

“I’ve been filing PILs from 1998; I’ve filed more than 500 in Madras HC and 25 in SC. I’m getting more aggressive with age. Though I get threats from politicians and toughs, I never give up,” Ramaswamy tells TOI. On March 13 Madras HC gave the city police an earful for arresting him in a 4am raid, calling it totally unjustified.

Kumari Ananthan proudly flies the Congress flag in a state where it’s struggling for survival. A Gandhian, his struggle now is for total prohibition. He started his 12-day Madurai-Tuti corin march on his 83rd birthday on Thursday . This is his 10th padyatra, his first was n 1967.

Nallakannu, 90-year-old CPI veteran, is a former state party secretary . He’s valued for his simplicity and has been a fighter of long standing, having joined politics at age 15. “We need to meet people and be with them for their issues…Merely issuing statements isn’t enough,” he says.

As for DMK stalwarts M Karunanidhi and K Anbazhagan, they need no introduction.Their party faces criticism for corruption and other issues, but both have been involved in many protests against the state and Centre.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Karthigaichelvan.s,  TNN / March 21st, 2015